Wolves of Winter Review

TITLE: The Wolves of Winter
AUTHOR: Tyrell Johnson
PUBLISHER: Scribner
PUBLISHING DATE: January 2, 2018

FROM GOODREADS: Forget the old days. Forget summer. Forget warmth. Forget anything that doesn’t help you survive.

Lynn McBride has learned much since society collapsed in the face of nuclear war and the relentless spread of disease. As memories of her old life haunt her, she has been forced to forge ahead in the snow-covered Canadian Yukon, learning how to hunt and trap to survive.

But her fragile existence is about to be shattered. Shadows of the world before have found her tiny community—most prominently in the enigmatic figure of Jax, who sets in motion a chain of events that will force Lynn to fulfill a destiny she never imagined.

MY THOUGHTS: "The Wolves of Winter" is a wonderful post-apocalyptic take by debut author Tyrell Johnson and one that definitely lands him on my radar. Lynn and her family live in the Canadian Yukon following the collapse of civilization after a brutal war brimming with chemical warfare and numerous deaths. She, her mother, brother, uncle and random family friend live alone in a small settlement with only one remote neighbor. Lynn, who has memories of the way things used to be, is growing bored with her life but has become adept at hunting and foraging to keep the family alive. One day, Lynn stumbles across a stranger named Jax and his dog Wolf. She is intrigued by him and as he is starving and injured, she invites him back to the camp. Little does she know Jax knows more about the future survival of mankind than he is letting on and Lynn is more involved in it than she thinks. 

I loved Lynn. Although it's sometimes hard to remember she is 23, she has lived a rather sheltered life in the Canadian wilderness. She lost her dad to the "flu" which claimed the lives of many, and clearly she had a special bond with him because she thinks of him and mentions him often. There is a small amount of romance in the book but VERY small. More like intrigue, because until Jax arrived, Lynn felt that pairing up with another person was something completely out of the question. I also liked seeing Lynn become attached to Wolf, because for the past 8-10 years, family pets were a luxury people just couldn't have.

This book is full of action and excitement. Johnson does a good job at portraying a somewhat bleak existence while also giving the characters, as well as the readers, a ray of hope. If you like spunky characters, dystopian tales and winter settings, this book is definitely one you should pick up. 

RATING: 4 PAWS

CHALLENGE: Library Love, What An Animal